Aston Villa 3-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

Aston Villa booked their place in the Women’s FA cup quarter-final this afternoon with a 3-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Bescot Stadium.

A goal from Anna Patten deep in stoppage cancelled out the opener from Nikita Parris and saw the sides head into the break level.

A rapid return to the game saw Rachel Daly and Chasity Grant put the Villans 3-1 up before the 55^th minute.

Parris struck again to reduce the deficit late on, but the goal was in vain as Villa remained strong to see out the 3-2 victory.

Natalia Arroyo named an unchanged starting 11 from last week’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea meanwhile Missy Bo Kearns returned the matchday squad after an injury lay off.

Villa started the encounter brightly and quickly took hold of the game’s reins.

Kirsty Hanson brought down a through ball from Daly with a delightful touch on the fifth minute before cutting inside and curling a shot on goal, but the keeper got across to push her effort around the post.

A corner kick from Jordan Nobbs fell kindly to Noelle Maritz who swing a first time shot from inside the box, but her effort was blocked. Patten then attempted to squirm the loose ball over the line, but the clearance was eventually made.

Jill Baijings lifted a terrific strike from 24 yards out on the 32^nd minute but her effort sailed just over the goal.

Lucy Parker did superbly well to close down and block a dangerous Brighton free-kick on the 37^th minute as she was quick to come out and divert the 22-yard effort.

Nobbs floated a great cross deep into the box three minutes later for Gabi Nunes to rise high and meet but her header was tipped over the crossbar.

But it was the visitors who took the lead as Parris punished Villa for a mistake at the back on the 45^th minute. Poppy Pattinson rolled a pass into the final third and into Parker’s feet, but the defender was unable to make the clearance and Parris pounced on the ball and slotted it past Sabrina D’Angelo.

Villa responded well to going a goal behind and weren’t happy to head into the break trailing as Patten levelled the scoring only two minutes later with seconds to go.

Nobbs’ corner kick found the centre back at the back post who remained cool to bundle the ball home from close range.

The Villans moved up a gear after the restart and it only took them five minutes to get back on the scoresheet and to go ahead.

Nobbs registered her second assist of the afternoon as she lofted a terrific cross into the box and Daly rose the highest to nod it into the back of the net.

Daly turned provider five minutes later as she slipped a well weighted pass through the defence and into Grant, who held her line superbly, before charging with the ball into the box and smashing it into the far bottom corner.

Villa went searching to extend their lead and came close through Hanson on the 64^th minute as the winger cut inside before rifling a shot from distance but her effort sailed over the target.

Brighton pulled one back on the 72^nd minute as Parris netted her second of the game as she picked up a defence splitting pass inside the final third before carrying the ball and lifting it over D’Angelo from inside the box.

Substitute Ebony Salmon had an opportunity to seal the win three minutes into stoppage time as she found herself charging in on goal unmarked but the forward hesitated as she arranged her feet to shoot and the keeper was able to get down and smother the ball.

But the Villans held on to their 3-2 lead to secure their place in the final eight of the competition.